Dear Mr. Knightley and a Giveaway

Happy Tuesday, My Lovelies!  I'm excited to share with you one of the sweetest, most romantic books I've read in a very long time:  Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay.  One of my lucky readers will win a copy of it, too.

If you love Jane Austen, romance, a sweet story with Christian themes, and characters who are hard to forget, then you will love this book!

According to Goodreads:

Dear Mr. Knightley is a contemporary epistolary novel with a delightful dash of Jane Austen.

Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.

My Review:

First of all I must admit that I read this book several months ago, and I can't believe that I forgot to blog about it.  I think I read it during show season late last winter, so I was distracted and forgot.  I saw this book on the "Suggested Reading" shelf at my local library, and I checked it out.  I found it hard to put down!  I liked it so much I bought a copy for my "keeper shelf" because I'll want to revisit these characters again.

I was skeptical that I would like the epistolary narration, but I truly loved it.  Katherine Reay did a super job unveiling the story through Sam's letters.  Sam's character is heartbreaking.  At first she turns down Mr. Knightley's offer to attend Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism because she didn't think she could handle another two years at the Grace House group home where she'd lived for eight years (basically through high school and college).  Unable to make it financially out in the world, she asks for a second chance a year later, and it's granted.  Sam doesn't really appreciate the opportunity as it's in journalism:  She lives in a dreamworld of characters from classic literature, especially Jane Austen.  Her speech is so peppered with quotes that she sounds like a walking, talking anachronism.  But the requisite letters to Mr. Knightley enable her to be herself and grow into the person she's meant to be according to God's plan for her life.

I really enjoyed the Christian elements in this novel.  Sam grows and matures spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally.  She learns to trust not only in God but in others.  She also begins mentoring a teenage boy who enjoys running like Sam does, and they bond over the sport.  There are several secondary characters in this book I adore, and as the reader sees them through Sam's eyes we learn even more about her character and growth.  I highly recommend this book even if you aren't an Austen fan!

Because I feel badly about not sharing this book sooner, I bought an extra copy over the weekend to share with one of my lucky readers.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come back tomorrow for a review of Katherine Reay's latest book, The Austen Escape.

Until next time...

Happy reading!

Ricki Jill